The Lure of the Devil (The Demons' Muse #4) - Auryn Hadley Page 0,110

those who've married or bonded with someone from another plane? Well, we're looking into concessions for them. I'm not ripping apart families. I'm not going to punish people for what they've already suffered. They did nothing wrong. We did. Angels and demons. That means this is our way of making up for it."

"Our punishment," I said, realizing that maybe the dragon was right about her. "Sia, you know this will take years. Maybe even decades."

"I don't care," she told me. "Luke, if it's just you and me doing this, we're still going to do it. I came to ask these angels to help simply because this is something angels are good at. Mind-fucking people was created by angels."

"Yes, by Lucifer," Phanuel said, his voice calm enough to make it clear that was a dig.

She just crossed her arms and gave him a disappointed look. "Don't care. How about we let the past be the past, do our best to learn from it, and start worrying about fixing the future, hm?" Then she looked at Vehuel. "Can I summon you when we have the slaves out?"

He smiled at her in a way that made me want to pull his feathers out. "Sia, you can summon me anytime you want."

Behind me, Bel's grumble proved that I wasn't the only one who noticed he was doting on her just a little too much. I also saw Ronwe reach up to touch the big guy's arm in reassurance. The gesture was so casual, but the lightness of that contact, the way Ron's fingers barely brushed Bel's skin before the larger demon looked down tenderly, stood out. Something was brewing between those two, and I couldn't decide if I was jealous, worried, or thrilled. Mostly thrilled, but the other two emotions still existed, and I couldn't force them away.

So I did what I always did: I ignored it. "Vehuel," I said, "if you'd talk to the rest of town, we'd appreciate it. There is no demand to help, but the more angels who chip in, the faster we can get these people back into lives they deserve."

Phanuel sighed before the seraphim could respond. "And if we don't help?" he asked.

"Nothing." I looked at Sia to make sure I wasn't speaking out of turn. "I don't think it's fair to force them to help. Many of these men have their own families to worry about."

"Exactly," she agreed, "and there's still a war here. That needs to be their first concern. I just..." She glanced at Vehuel. "I've been the powerless one before, hoping that some miracle would come along to help me. I've been desperate. I know what it feels like. Maybe I was never a slave, but life isn't easy for most people. I just want to help even the odds a little."

"It will still take years," Vehuel told her. "A hundred thousand slaves. If we can do ten a day, every day, that will take almost thirty years. Three of us..." He gestured to her, me, and then himself, "would take ten."

"And more would make it even faster," she agreed. "Plus, none of us want to do this every day. We want to have our own lives as well. To love our wives..." She lifted a brow at him. "...Children, and friends. It's still a very big ask, and I know that. It's why I'm asking instead of telling."

Phanuel finally leaned back. "Not every angel in Sayeptal can bend another's aether."

"I know," Sia assured him.

"But most of us can. Even some who were assumed to be too weak to weave."

I couldn't help but chuckle at that. "I think our choirs were designed to benefit only the archangels. Dominions were our first slaves. Thrones weren't much better. We ranked ourselves by the abilities we archangels have, convincing the rest they were lesser because they weren't like us."

"If you measure a fish by how well it can climb a tree..." Nick said, proving my point. "It will always be a failure."

I nodded. "But if there are any who'd like to learn, I will teach them. I've taught a Muse. I've even trained a demon how to manipulate internal aether. If it's possible, I think I could teach any angel enough to help with this. It's what I have to offer."

Phanuel nodded. "Then I'll tell them. After all, this would give them plenty of chances to practice. It's a good deal, Lucifer." Then he looked at Sia. "And it's more than fair for you to ask, but